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I have been approached by my welding instructor (upcoming welding class) and fiancée to do a project for the school we are attending. She is a multimedia student and has chosen to do a project involving making a video on the mechanical trades classes at school. My part in the videos will be as weldor.I have been given this opportunity by my welding class teacher for the simple fact that he has seen me work in the past. He actually worked for me 10 years ago at the company my grandfather owned. He was the greenhorn, I the young man that had been doing this work since I was old enough to tail sucker rod. After six months he decided the oil fields weren't for him.So my question is this. Welding will be given five minutes in the video, covering all aspects; oxy-fuel, SMAW, FCAW, GMAW, GTAW, and even thirty seconds of thermite. Given these parameters, if YOU were making the video, what positions/disciplines would you show?I know that I would like to focus on SMAW pipe welding, probably showing a 6G setup. The big thing here is pipe, and it will help boost interest in the program. I know I should dedicate time to GTAW as well. But what do you guys recommend? I have one year to complete my end of the filming.Most welding videos I have seen involve a camera watching the welding unfiltered. I was wondering about getting a filter lens for the camera (school's expense) and actually showing the formation and manipulation of the puddle.Any input will be much appreciated and as time goes on I will be offering up the videos on YouTube for critique. This may not be until late February, as the videos will require editing (mainly keeping my ugly self out of the film). Anyway, look forward to the suggestions!
Reply:I take it this is a sales pitch for the school. My 1st thought would be to show quick clips of various welding jobs, 10 seconds each. Show a guy welding structural steel overhead, cut to someone welding pipe, cut to someone doing mig in a factory, cut to someone doing O/A brazing, alum tig and so on. The idea being to show just what sorts of things the training would prep them for. An anouncer can do a voice over talking about how welding builds the world around us that many never think about. The other thing would be to posibly show a short shots of guys welding in class in different booths, doing different processes. This would show just what class conditions are like, what sorts of tools are available and so on..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I'd say DSW nailed it.With technical details, five minutes would be a long time to hold a casual viewer's attention. It's probably better to move quickly and touch on many topics, while showing short but very interesting clips.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 01-03-2010 at 02:03 AM.
Reply:Don't forget a few shots of scantilly-clad women holding lit torches.   Sex sells!Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by AquafireDon't forget a few shots of scantilly-clad women holding lit torches.   Sex sells!
Reply:by all means get the devices necessary toreally show the puddle. some welding videosjust showsome glare...i believe the best i've seen are named"through the welders lens" or therabouts..shows the puddle quite well..
Reply:Well, they are specifically wanting me to be the weldor. There will be shots of classes welding mixed in, but I was told that I would be doing the majority of the on-camera welding for the fact that this is a volunteer program. The teacher has contacted a few of the other students that he thought might want to help but they have respectfully declined.As for women welding, I brought it up with my fiancée and she said she would be willing to do a couple of scenes is I teach her how.The video itself is supposed to last about thirty minutes, covering welding, machine tools, electrical, plumbing, and auto mechanics. In the local market, welding is a trade that many want to learn but don't even know is offered within 50 miles.We are surrounded by defense plants that are all in need of qualified weldors. But since only a handful of people know welding is offered on a certificate program, class size is normally 7-10 students per semester. If they can advertise this on a DVD, they believe enrollment will increase.I'm going to talk to the teacher next week about getting others in the video. I will also be bringing up the comments I receive here. Thanks guys!
Reply:Hi, Rivershark2005       I have a few suggestions to add: Plan a simple project from start to finish with video shots of each machine used before the welding starts and brief statements on what it does with a shot of what the working end of the electrode  looks like(stick,MIG,TIG,etc.). Then show the welder about to start and transition to a shot of him welding  that process (example stick) with the video camera looking at it through an autodarkening helmet. I would test try this on a camera with a video capability and the auto dark helmet set at the darkest setting and work backwards one number. I say that because I have not done this before. Brilliant white light, I understand is not good for the cam. A video cam expert can guide you in this area.  Pick a project where each process can be used. I recommend many video takes of the project and with the video shots of looking at the welding through the helmet, you can possibly do enhancing where the weld puddle shows up great using a video editing/composing  software. I have done some work on video tapes, myself.  The project can be a one day job or several days. What is the point you are wanting to get across? Maybe you can add some screen shots of pipe welding certification. Make a copy of the complete unedited videos and paste them with another file name. The reason I say this is because I edited an original video, saved it. Saw something didn't like but now I couldn't undo it.         Hope give you some ideas, too. If I can be of any more help, let me know. I wish you success!Rodney                                   The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.'  Proverbs 10:22 NKJV
Reply:The History Channel did a special on welding.  It would be worth checking out the DVD, getting some ideas, and being able to condense it from there.
Reply:A couple of suggestions to add to DSW's.  Someone welding an art piece and a weld coupon being bent."The man of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the State, because he derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."  Teddy RooseveltAmerican by birth, Union by choice!  Boilermakers # 60America is a Union.